Well, I may have burned a bridge, but I just didn't know what to do and I was kind of frustrated. I completed a shop for them and tried REALLY hard to make that narrative perfect. I copied the sample and went point by point through it and wrote my own narrative based on it.

The mistake I made, however (learning all the time!) was that I did not then go back through the survey question by question to make absolutely certain that every single question was addressed in the narrative. So they kicked it back asking me to address questions #30, 33 and 48. So far, so good.

However, question #48 said, in effect, "Did the cashier attempt to sell additional merchandise or accessories at the time of your check out?" My original narrative said, (in effect) "As the cashier was scanning [Item], she pointed out that this item was on sale for an excellent price and asked if perhaps I didn't want to purchase two of them." And later in my narrative, I said "She handed me my receipt and said that they were having an [Event] on Saturday, and I might want to sign up for the [service] and gave me a flyer with the phone number to call to sign up." Also, "There was an issue with the register and she had to call the manager to override a transaction, and when he had finished, he handed me his card and said that if I had any problems I should call him. He also pointed out that there was a clearance table and since I had purchased [item] I might ,be interested in [item] because it was the last one he had."

I do not know how much more detailed I could have been in answering question #48. SO (here's where I may get in trouble) I replied to the email saying, "Corrections to #30 and #33 made. However, I am confused because I had answered #48 in some detail, so I did not make any corrections at this time." I figure that may get me deactivated, but I just didn't know what to do and frankly, I was irritated! I spent HOURS on that stupid narrative!

Any words of wisdom here?

I treat them kinda like my toddlers, to be honest.

My toddlers will sometimes kick a fit and refuse to eat, thinking they didn't get enough, when they see my plate vs. theirs. I make a big show of adding that one extra noodle or green bean, and that appeases them and they happily start eating.

I use the same approach with my MSCs and it works fine for me. If I've narrated something to hell and back, thoroughly, saying it five different ways, and it somehow kicks back to me for clarification... I just add a sixth way to say the exact same thing I said five different ways, and magically, they're appeased.

I think I might have been tempted to say "as for # 48, Do you mean in ADDITION to the additional XXX and YYY and ZZZ's I wrote about in my original narrative?

I don't think they will deactivate you but with Service Check you sometimes have to be overly direct to get through the editors (and use short paragraphs). So I would say the following in the narrative - The cashier attempted to sell additional merchandise to me by asking if perhaps I didn't want to purchase two of them since they were on sale, etc, etc.

kenasch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think they will deactivate you but with
> Service Check you sometimes have to be overly
> direct to get through the editors (and use short
> paragraphs). So I would say the following in the
> narrative - The cashier attempted to sell
> additional merchandise to me by asking if perhaps
> I didn't want to purchase two of them since they
> were on sale, etc, etc.


Great post! Put those words in there 'additional merchandise' they are very specific but also very nice. imo.

I don't blame you. I did an integrity buffet where I was supposed to leave the receipt, but still be able to input the check number, time and amount. I did all of that and even added the table number. I also mentioned the location of my table in my narrative. I received a follow up request saying the client was asking if I had more information about the check. Huh? I answered pretty much the same way you did. I like kenasch's answer, though.

Service Check has only two shops in my area, but because of the narratives (and editors), I never take them until they are bonused to double the original shop fee. I've always gotten 10s from Intellishop, but with nearly every report I've written for Service Check I've been asked to re-state something I've already fully described in the narrative.

Very true .. but then look at all the "free" time they got from you!!

Update: I received a "9" on the shop, and no comment nor reply was made to my email. I got the usual admonition: "Your overall narrative should include supporting details to your marked answers throughout your report. Please be sure that you check for this prior to submitting."

I am relieved. I really was afraid they would get mad and deactivate me!

tracyvp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Update: I received a "9" on the shop, and no
> comment nor reply was made to my email. I got the
> usual admonition: "Your overall narrative should
> include supporting details to your marked answers
> throughout your report. Please be sure that you
> check for this prior to submitting."
>
> I am relieved. I really was afraid they would get
> mad and deactivate me!


Why would they deactivate you? Because of a lot of clarification questions?

You did your end of the work and it's not like you broke your ICA agreement... Take a breather and realize that QC is normal process, even if you think it's a lot of comments. Don't take the comments personal.

Well after 8 yrs. of shopping I just did a movie for them, and because they had to ask two questions, (what color was the name tag) I got a 7/10.....on of the most difficult Msc's out there as far as deducting points and low pay. I do like their oil changes.

I meant Service Slueth, not check.....the heat got to me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2014 11:50PM by Irene_L.A..

Bayberry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't blame you. I did an integrity buffet
> where I was supposed to leave the receipt, but
> still be able to input the check number, time and
> amount. I did all of that and even added the
> table number. I also mentioned the location of my
> table in my narrative. I received a follow up
> request saying the client was asking if I had more
> information about the check. Huh? I answered
> pretty much the same way you did. I like
> kenasch's answer, though.

Leave the receipt? At a buffet? Where would you leave it? On the table? At the cash register?

What purpose would that serve, unless it was a handwritten check and I can't remember the last time I saw one of those.

I would suggest surreptitiously taking a picture of the receipt if you do any more of those.

If it was a handwritten check, those usually have an imprinted number on them that you could mutter to your recorder or type in a cell phone with the amount. but that just seems a bizarre thing to have you do and then ask you for info from it later. (But I don't do integrity checks, so maybe this is a normal instruction?)

If this is the Bare integrity buffet, you leave the receipt on the table with cash payment for the bill plus cash tip. The directions require a photo of the bill, suggesting that you carry it to the restroom and snap a picture. You note the exact time you entered, were given the bill, and exited. The object here is to see if the money winds up in the restaurant's register or the server's pocket. They are checking to see if each buffet guest is issued a new check, with correct date and time.

dspeakes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bayberry Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
>
> Leave the receipt? At a buffet? Where would you
> leave it? On the table? At the cash register?
>
> What purpose would that serve, unless it was a
> handwritten check and I can't remember the last
> time I saw one of those.
>
> I would suggest surreptitiously taking a picture
> of the receipt if you do any more of those.
>
> If it was a handwritten check, those usually have
> an imprinted number on them that you could mutter
> to your recorder or type in a cell phone with the
> amount. but that just seems a bizarre thing to
> have you do and then ask you for info from it
> later. (But I don't do integrity checks, so maybe
> this is a normal instruction?)

It was for Dataquest, and you were not instructed to take a picture, but to record the info, which I did. I had it all. Apparently, the reason for integrity buffets and paying cash is that the server can reuse your check. There's nothing on it but the buffet. They give it to someone else, and if they pay cash, the server can pocket the money because they never rang in the buffet. So the time and table number become important.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well after 8 yrs. of shopping I just did a movie
> for them, and because they had to ask two
> questions, (what color was the name tag) I got a
> 7/10.....on of the most difficult Msc's out there
> as far as deducting points and low pay. I do like
> their oil changes.
>
> I meant Service Slueth, not check.....the heat got
> to me.

Hearing that makes me feel much better. I am getting 9 and 10's from most shops. I got one 9 and and since then, my average has slipped to an 8 with Service Slueth.

I'll keep shopping them as long as they allow me and they pay.

If everyone is getting dinged, then I'm still in the middle of the pack with them.

I'm not getting dinged, I'm just not getting paid by Service Sleuth. It's mid-October and I'm still waiting on July and August payments.

Service Sleuth or ServiceCheck?

Service Sleuth, in response to Irene-LA and ScanMan.

I find the ServiceCheck editors to be incredibly annoying. They will ask me to restate something I have already stated, or ask really asinine questions. The latest gem was for a mattress store. I described in *great* detail how I tried out the mattress and pillows, was asked to rate the pressure points, the associate had me try out the different positions of the adjustable base, etc. They sent the shop back to me because they "could not tell from the report if the associate had me lay down on the mattress" (don't even get me started on how it should be "lie down," not "lay". Huh? How would I try out a mattress and pillows and rate the pressure points without lying on it? I don't plan on doing anymore shops for them, it's too time consuming to fix the absurd "mistakes" that they want fixed.

It makes you wonder if the editors are being graded on the amount of "mistakes" they find. Somebody might be telling them "If you're not finding errors in these reports you're not doing your job.

They are (also) my #1 pain in the a@# company, haven't worked for them in ages, except for one grocery store they have, won't do anymore, especially their furniture store, the Editors are the worst for 15.00.